Center For Heirs Property Preservation

TO PROTECT HEIRS' PROPERTY AND PROMOTE THE SUSTAINABLE USE OF LAND TO PROVIDE INCREASED ECONOMIC BENEFIT TO HISTORICALLY UNDER-SERVED AND LOW- WEALTH FAMILIES THROUGH LEGAL AND FORESTRY EDUCATION AND SERVICES.

THE CENTER PROVIDED LEGAL EDUCATION AND DIRECT LEGAL SERVICES, WHICH RESULTED IN THE FOLLOWING: QUANTITATIVELY, THE CENTER CONDUCTED 28 (PROPOSED 44) EDUCATION SEMINARS ON HEIRS' PROPERTY ISSUES AND RESOLUTION AND FORESTLAND MANAGEMENT WHICH INCREASED KNOWLEDGE AMONG 373 (PROPOSED 1,100) LANDOWNERS, RESULTING IN 460 (PROPOSED 500) LANDOWNERS COMING INTO THE CENTER FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND HELP. THE CENTER ACCEPTED 50 FULL CLIENTS WITH 32 PENDING CLIENTS AND RESOLVED 16 TITLES ON LAND WITH A TAX-ASSESSED VALUE OF SLIGHTLY OVER 1M. CENTER ATTORNEYS AND VOLUNTEERS ALSO DRAFTED 193 SIMPLE WILLS TO HELP PREVENT THE GROWTH OF HEIRS' PROPERTY. (CONTINUED SCHEDULE O)

THE CENTER PROVIDED HISTORICALLY UNDER-SERVED LANDOWNERS (HULOS) WITH FORESTRY EDUCATION, ACCESS TO TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, EXPERT PARTNERS AND USDA PROGRAMS AND CONNECTIONS MARKETS TO SELL THEIR TIMBER PRODUCTS, WHICH RESULTED IN THE FOLLOWING: -EIGHT (8) OF THE PROPOSED EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS WERE CONDUCTED AT WHICH 96 OF THE PROJECTED 100 INDIVIDUALS LEARNED THE IMPORTANCE OF SUSTAINABLY MANAGING THEIR FAMILY FORESTS FOR MAXIMUM PROFIT. -197 OF THE PROJECTED 65 HULOS RECEIVED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FROM FORESTRY EXPERTS. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)

THE OUTREACH DEPARTMENT TOOK THE GREATEST HIT FROM COVID-19 AS MOST EVENTS COULD NOT BE CONDUCTED FACE-TO-FACE. THE CENTER'S STAFF SHOWED OFF THEIR RESILIENCY BY MAKING THIS YEAR'S 6TH ANNUAL SOUTH CAROLINA RURAL & LIMITED RESOURCE LANDOWNER SYMPOSIUM A RECORD EVENT AND THE MOST SUCCESSFUL EVER FOR THE CENTER NEARLY 300 PEOPLE REGISTERED EITHER IN-PERSON OR ONLINE FOR THIS INFORMATIVE TWO-DAY HYBRID EVENT OUR SPEAKERS AND PANELISTS RANGED FROM CARBON CREDITS TO ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE EXPERTS. THE INSPIRING KEYNOTE ADDRESS WAS DELIVERED BY DR. FAITH RIVERS JAMES, THE ASSISTANT PROVOST FOR LEADERSHIP AT THE CITADEL AND WHO HAS BEEN A LEADER IN THE PROPERTY PRESERVATION MOVEMENT. (CONTINUED SCHEDULE O)

MOBILE BASIN HEIRS' PROPERTY SUPPORT INITIATIVE NEW MISSISSIPPI INITIATIVE WILL COMBAT LEADING CAUSE OF INVOLUNTARY LAND LOSS AMONG BLACK FAMILIES THE CENTER FOR HEIRS' PROPERTY PRESERVATION AND THE MISSISSIPPI CENTER FOR JUSTICE, WITH SUPPORT FROM WORLD WILDLIFE FUND AND KIMBERLY-CLARK, WILL PROVIDE LEGAL SERVICES, ASSISTANCE AND RESOURCES TO HELP HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED MISSISSIPPIANS KEEP GENERATIONAL LAND AND CONSERVE WORKING FORESTS. JACKSON, MISS.,OCT. 14, 2021 -THE CENTER FOR HEIRS PROPERTY PRESERVATION ANDTHE MISSISSIPPI CENTER FOR JUSTICE TODAY ANNOUNCED THEMOBILE BASINHEIRSPROPERTYSUPPORTINITIATIVE, ATWO- YEARPROGRAMDESIGNEDTO HELP HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED FAMILIESIN MISSISSIPPIPROTECT AND KEEP THEIRFORESTLAND;BUILD GENERATIONAL WEALTH;ANDPROMOTEPRODUCTIVE, SUSTAINABLYMANAGED FORESTS.WITH SUPPORT FROM WORLD WILDLIFE FUND (WWF) AND KIMBERLY-CLARK, THE NEWINITIATIVE WILL PROVIDE A COMBINATION OF LEGAL SERVICES,INFORMATION,ANDASSISTANCEACCESSINGFINANCIAL RESOURCESTO HELP MISSISSIPPIANS RESOLVE LAND TITLE ISSUESTHATDISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECT BLACK FAMILIESANDOFTEN LEAD TOLOSSOFLAND,WEALTH,AND FORESTRESOURCES. HEIRS PROPERTY IS LAND PASSED DOWN INFORMALLY FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION, OFTEN BECAUSE LANDOWNERS DIED WITHOUT A WILL. IN THE ABSENCE OFA WILL, THE LAND IS CONSIDEREDJOINTLY OWNEDBY ALL HEIRS, SPLIT BETWEEN MULTIPLE PEOPLE REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY LIVE ON THE LAND, PAY THE TAXES, OR HAVEEVERSET FOOT ON IT. THISFRACTUREDLANDLEAVES OWNERSVULNERABLETO DEVELOPERS AND TIMBER HARVESTERS, TAX SALES, AND FORCED PARTITION SALES.OWNERS ARE FACED WITH THE DECISION TO EITHERGIVE UP THEIRLANDORGO THROUGH THECOMPLEX ANDCOSTLY LEGALPROCESSOFRESOLVINGTITLEISSUES.IN MISSISSIPPI, THIS ALSO CONTRIBUTES TO AN INCREASING RATE OF FOREST LOSS, COMPROMISINGTHE REGIONS IMPORTANT FRESHWATER HABITATS ANDDRINKING WATER SUPPLY. FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUAL LANDOWNERS WITH TITLE ISSUES CLOUDED BY UNDETERMINED HEIRS OR ABSENT HEIRS CAN RESULT IN LOSS OF LAND HELD FOR GENERATIONS THROUGH TAX SALES, COURT-ORDERED PARTITION SALES, OR EVEN A TAKING OF THE LAND BY ADVERSE POSSESSION, SAIDMISSISSIPPI CENTER FOR JUSTICE PRESIDENT AND CEOVANGELAM. WADE. THESE HARMFUL EFFECTSWHICH HAVE PERSISTED FOR DECADESHAVE BEEN PARTICULARLY ACUTE FOR FAMILIES OF COLOR AND LOW-INCOME FAMILIES IN MISSISSIPPI. IT IS CURRENTLY ESTIMATED THAT HEIRS PROPERTY ACCOUNTS FOR 1.6 MILLION ACRES VALUED AT 6.6 BILLION ACROSS THESOUTHERNBLACK BELT. THE NEW INITIATIVE IS BASED ON A SUCCESSFUL MODEL DEVELOPED BY THE CENTER FOR HEIRS PROPERTY PRESERVATION IN SOUTH CAROLINA. THIS MODEL HAS HELPED SOUTH CAROLINA FAMILIES RESOLVE MORE THAN 275 TITLES, BUILDING FAMILY AND COMMUNITY WEALTH AND ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION IN MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES. WE ARE DELIGHTED TO ENTRUST OUR HEIRS PROPERTY RESOLUTION KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE TO A WELL-ESTABLISHED PUBLIC INTEREST LAW FIRM TO ADDRESS THE COMPLEX PROBLEM OF LAND LOSS BY INCREASING ACCESS TO THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES THESE LANDOWNERS NEED TO RESOLVE TITLE ISSUES AND DEVELOP WORKING LANDSCAPES, SAID JENNIE L. STEPHENS, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, THE CENTER FOR HEIRS PROPERTY PRESERVATION. THIS PARTNERSHIP WILL HELP BUILD AND SUSTAIN ALANDOWNER MOVEMENT THAT HAS THE POWER TO UNLEASH THE CULTURAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES OF LAND IN MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES TOWARD FAMILY WEALTH CREATION AND TO ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION. THEINITIATIVE WILL ALSOPROVIDELANDOWNERS WITHFORESTRY EDUCATIONAND ACCESS TO ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR FOREST CONSERVATIONAND RESPONSIBLE FOREST MANAGEMENT. THIS SUPPORT CAN HELP FAMILIES MAKE INCOME FROM THEIR LANDSWHILE PROTECTINGWILDLIFE HABITATANDWATER SOURCES. THERE IS NO SUSTAINABLE FUTURE WITHOUT ADDRESSING RACIAL AND SOCIAL INJUSTICE, SAID KERRY CESAREO, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR FORESTS AT WWF. ONLY BY PREVENTING THE EXPLOITATION OF FAMILIES AND THEIR LAND CAN WE PREVENT FOREST FRAGMENTATION AND LOSS IN THIS COUNTRY AND MITIGATE THE WORST EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE.FORESTS ARE A SOURCE OF HEALTH AND WEALTH, BUT THE BURDENS AND BENEFITS OF CARING FOR FORESTS HAVE NOT BEEN SHARED FAIRLY. WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO ADDRESS INJUSTICE AND SUPPORT PEOPLE WHO HAVE HELPED ALL OF US BY CARING FOR FORESTLANDS FOR GENERATIONS AND WHO ARE THEMSELVES MORE LIKELY TO BEAR THE BRUNT OF NATURE LOSS AND CLIMATE IMPACTS. THE INITIATIVE WILL BE PILOTED OVER TWO YEARS WITH PROPERTY OWNERS ACROSS THE MOBILE BAY WATERSHED. IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING DIRECT ASSISTANCE TO MISSISSIPPIS UNDERSERVED LANDOWNERS, THE PROGRAMS GOALS INCLUDE RAISING BROADER AWARENESS ABOUT THE BENEFITS TO BOTH PEOPLE AND NATURE THAT CAN COME FROMREMOVING BARRIERS FORHISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIESTOSECURE LAND RIGHTS IN THE SOUTHERN UNITED STATESAND BEYOND. SOUTHERN U.S. FORESTS THAT KIMBERLY-CLARK RELIES ON TO MAKE OUR ESSENTIAL PRODUCTS ARE BEING LOST TOUNSUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENTAT AN INCREASING RATE, AND HEIRS PROPERTY IS PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE TO THAT TREND, SAID LISAMORDEN,VICEPRESIDENTOFSAFETY,SUSTAINABILITY &OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AT KIMBERLY-CLARK. HELPING HEIRS PROPERTY OWNERS SECURE CLEAR TITLE TO THEIRANCESTRALLAND ENABLES THEM TO PROTECT, CARE FOR, AND BENEFIT FROM THAT LAND, AND WE ARE HONORED TO SUPPORT THE CENTER FOR HEIRS PROPERTY PRESERVATION, THE MISSISSIPPI CENTER FOR JUSTICE,AND WWF IN ADVANCING THIS IMPORTANT WORK. MORDENADDED:WE KNOWTHE ISSUE OF INSECURE LAND TENURE AND ITS LINKS TO FOREST LOSS AND DEGRADATION IS NOT UNIQUE TO THE U.S. SOUTHEAST. AS THE WORLD CONTINUES TO ADDRESS THE CLIMATE AND BIODIVERSITY CRISES, WE MUST ALSO LOOK TO SUPPORT THE LAND RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS AND OTHER MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES WHO STEWARD MANY OF THE WORLDS MOST CARBON-AND BIODIVERSITY- RICH FORESTS. TO THAT END, THISINITIATIVESUPPORTS OUR AMBITION TO IMPROVE THE LIVES AND WELL-BEING OF 1 BILLION PEOPLE IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES AROUND THE GLOBE BY 2030, WITH THE SMALLEST ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINTAND IS PART OF HOW WE DELIVER OUR PURPOSE OF BETTER CARE FOR A BETTER WORLD.